Excellent performances from R&NAC athletes at the National Cross Country Championships

Josh Lay of Rugby & Northampton AC continued his successful cross country season when he finished in a superb second place in the U20 Mens race at the 2020 English National Cross Country Championships.  The event was held at Nottingham’s Wollaton Park and Lay was competing in his final cross country race as a Junior man over a 10k course, which saw the Midland Champion secure a magnificent silver medal in a time of 36:42.  Southampton’s Zakariya Mahamed won gold in 36:27, but the 19 year old R&N athlete was well clear of bronze medallist Samuel Moakes of Sutton in Ashfield Harriers & AC ( 36:56 ).  Adrian Kaczmarek ( 145^th in 45:14 ) and Joe Musgrove ( 174^th in 48:43 ) also represented the club.

In the U17 Mens race over 6k Fergus Scott produced a brilliant run to clinch 8^th place in a time of 23:32 with his R&N clubmate Finbar Myers recording 28:21 for 215^th spot.  Arthur Tilt crossed the line in 18^th position in the U13 Boys event over 3k with 15:19 and this helped the R&N squad to finish 25^th in the team race. He had back up from William Gower ( 210^th in 17:27 ), Isaac Hutchins-Morant ( 218^th in 17:34 ) and Noah Unwin ( 301^st in 18:50 ).

The U15 Girls team finished in 27^th place and were led home in the 4k race by Madeleine Jacks in 116^th spot with 22:06. Also competing were Elspeth Unitt ( 193^rd in 23:13), Grace Darcy ( 235^th in 24:00 ), Hannah Tilt ( 276^th in 24:54 ) and Jemima Lambert ( 331^st in 26:13 ).

The Senior Men had to cover a distance of 12k and making his debut in the National was Duncan Birtwistle who led home the club in an excellent 144^th position recording exactly 49 minutes. Following him home was Seb Palmer ( 453^rd in 54:08 ) and completing the scoring six, which finished 59^th in the team competition were Nick Gower making his debut in 713th on 58:07, Jon Taylor ( 822^nd in 59:49 ), Vince Carroll ( 996^th in 62:29 ) and Nigel Roberts ( 1148^th in 65:05 ) with John Saw as back up ( 1197^th in 65:57 ).

Freya Vincent led home the R&N Senior ladies when she covered the 8k course in 49:18 ( 521^st ).  She was supported by veterans Helen Jones ( 577^th in 50:45 ), Angela Copson ( 625^th in 51:52 ), Minnie Chesser ( 654^th in 53:17 ) and Kate Williams ( 782^nd in 57:39 ). The squad finished 74^th.  The only athlete competing in the U20 Womens 6k event was Olivia Sheehan in 125^th on 38:16, but in doing so she clinched the R&N Junior Womens club Championship.

Sophia Hill was timed at 26:26 over 5k in the U17 Womens race to finish 144^th with Megan Stenhouse in 232^nd on 30:25.   The U15 Boys saw Henry Woodward lead home the club with 19:52 over 4k for 181^st position and his team mates Jenson Buttrick ( 283^rd ) and Ned Gilford ( 300^th ) recorded 21:24 and 21:47 respectively.  Amelie Budd Beynon ( 228^th in 19:17 ) and Georgia Gercs ( 290^th in 20:15 ) competed in the U13 Girls race over 3k.